Based on Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s bestselling novel, Good Omens follows demon Crowley (David Tennant) and the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), an unlikely celestial pairing who band together to prevent Armageddon.

Although the series won’t be released until Friday 31st May 2019 (and even later on BBC2), there are more than enough Easter Eggs in the newly-released opening titles to tide us over until then.

Chattering nuns

When celestial field agents Crowley and Aziraphale (busy living their cushy, comfortable lives among mortals) discover that the Antichrist, harbinger of the apocalypse, is being sent to Earth, they both determine to jointly raise the child so that he can’t choose between Good and Evil when the time comes.

They’re aided (or rather, hindered) in their dastardly plans by The Chattering Order of St Beryl — whose Twitter page, followed by Neil Gaiman himself, we really recommend you check out. We also recommend you visit their website and click on the section ‘Dark Lord’ (note: headphones advised).

So it comes as no surprise that two nun-like figures appear early on in the opening titles.

Crowley’s car and Aziraphale’s antique book shop

If there’s one thing that the demon Crowley loves in this world, it’s his 1926 Bentley. It’s kept in mint condition (well, at least for now it is), and any tape left in the cassette player system for more than two weeks turns into the Best of Queen.

The car appears in the sequence alongside Aziraphale’s antique bookstore, tucked away on a London street, where the heavenly angel only sells books as a last resort.

Flying Saucers? DEATH?

Things, predictably, go a little awry in Crowley and Aziraphale’s plan, resulting in a misplaced Antichrist left to grow up among humans, totally unaware of his powers. When he reads a magazine about conspiracy theories – including one about little green men in spaceships – strange things start to happen…

Below the flying saucer (which seems to have very big buttons sewn on its sides?) in the screenshot above, we also have our first glimpse of Death himself, a favourite among Terry Pratchett fans.

He’s riding a skeletal horse and is accompanied by another member of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (most likely Famine).

A fishy explosion

In the animation, Aziraphale transforms the flying saucer into an exploding cascade of fish — a reference, perhaps, to the untimely demise of the Bikers of the Repocalypse (not to be confused with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse), who in the novel encounter a rather unfortunately placed heap of fish on the M6.

First look at Benedict Cumberbatch as Satan

As if Good Omens weren’t already pretty perfect, Amazon only went ahead and hired Benedict Cumberbatch to voice Satan. Gaiman has previously explained that Cumberbatch will voice “a giant, animated Satan” who is “400 foot high”, and it looks as though the title sequence has provided us our first sneak peek at what Satan might look like (answer: ugly as, well, sin).

The underwater shot also shows all of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from left to right: War (a red-headed war correspondent), Death, Famine and Pollution.

A devilish M25

As part of their pact on Earth, Crowley and Aziraphale claimed responsibility for different towns and parts of the world. And it comes as no surprise that a rather devilish architect was behind the creation of the M25 London Orbital…

Shadwell and Madame Tracy

The end of the world makes strange bedfellows, none more so perhaps than Sergeant Shadwell, one of only two remaining members of The Witchfinders Army, and his next-door neighbour, Madame Tracy.

Madame Tracy, whom Shadwell refers to as the ‘Painted Jezebel’ and ‘Whore of Babylon’ (but sneakily accepts the trays of food she leaves outside his door), also works as a medium on Thursdays, and has a Native American spirit guide called Geronimo.

You can see both Shadwell and Madame Tracy during the opening titles, riding on Madame Tracy’s scooter.

The Antichrist’s dog

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No Antichrist is complete without a loyal hound of hell, right? And after a brief cameo in the series’ trailer, we have another glimpse of Adam Young’s (aka the Antichrist’s) loyal pet, whose inspired, dastardly name is… Dog.

What other Good Omens references have you spotted?

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